Category: diesel vs gasoline vehicles

Gas Diesel Hybrid War

These days, gasoline prices may be crimping your
your household budget. You may like to reduce
the U.S. dollars that flow to the Middle East for
oil, or perhaps you are motivated by your concern
for the environment, or even the nagging reality
that oil is a depleting resource that shouldn’t
be wasted.

Fuel economy
To put it into prospective, the fuel economy are
the numbers posted on the window sticker of a new
vehicle. Studies have shown that the average
driver only receives 75 percent or so of the
mileage figures that are on the sticker.

You can use these numbers to determine the best
type of vehicle for your purchase. The numbers
will let you know how many MPG your vehicle will
get, so you can compare vehicles and then go
from there.

Hybrid pricing
The gas electric hybrid vehicles are normally
priced higher than non hybrid counterparts,
anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to
several thousand dollars.

Hybrids can get a lot of miles per gallon,
some averaging around 45 – 55. This is great
for those who want to save money on gas, as
hybrids can go many miles on a full tank of
fuel and they come with extended warranties
as well.

Diesel efficiency
Diesel powered vehicles are yet another fuel
efficient option. Diesels are known for getting
extra mileage from every gallon of fuel. They
offer much better torque than many gasoline
engines. The price differential they have
over gasoline engines are usually much smaller
than that of the hybrid.

With plenty of options available, you’re sure
to find what you need to help conserve fuel.
Before you make a purchase, always remember
to shop around and find what’s best for you.

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Hydrogen Boosted Gas Engines

With the ever increasing cost of gasoline prices,
auto makers are having to work overtime to cost
effictively improve the fuel economy, while still
meeting the strict emission requirements of today
with gasoline engines.

One ideal and promising way to boost the fuel
economy of gas engines is to add hydrogen to the
fuel/air mixture in the engine. Since hydrogen
isn’t available at the local gas station, selling
a hydrogen boosted gas engine wasn’t on the list
of engines – until now.

Lack of emission
A major cost and environmental advantage to hydrogen
boosted gas engines are low amounts of NOx emission
gas, which will completely eliminate the need for
external NOx emissions control. Currently, NOx
emissions control is a major cost problem for diesel
engines which use expensive traps to meet the
emission standards. Diesel engines particulate
emissions that must be collected by a filter that
should be changed periodically.

Hydrogen boosted engines on the other hand require
neither NOx or particulate control and require only
a low cost oxidation catalyst to control very small
amounts of exhaust which is formed mostly during
the engine starting up and warming up. Additional
cuts in emissions control requirements stem from
the engine’s ability to use only the clean hydrogen
enriched charge during the cold start phase when
90% of emissions are generated in the emission test.

Cost
The hydrogen boost system is effectively a bolt
on technology that can be added to an existing
vehicle’s engine compartment. According to those
developing the system, the cost of the system is
less than half of the added cost for diesel.

The future
Prototype hydrogen boosted engines are now be
installed in test SUV vehicles that have
sufficient space for the reformer and it’s related
system. The start of long term road testing
for performance, reliability, and durability
information is planned for later on in the year
before the system goes further into development.

Four cylinder gasoline engines will likely be the
prime candidates for the technology as high gas
prices continue to generate competition among the
higher fuel economy models that seek MPG
leadership.

With gas prices getting higher and higher, hydrogen
boosted gas engines offer you the chance to get
more miles per gallon and not have to worry about
burning up all of your fuel. Instead of having to
go out and buy a diesel to conserve fuel, hydrogen
boosted units will help you preserve gas.

Even though they aren’t available to buy right now,
they will be very soon. Many manufacturers are
looking into them, as they offer gasoline engines
something like never before. If you own a gas
powered vehicle and have thought of giving it up
to go diesel, you might want to think again – as
hydrogen boost units may change the world of gas
engines forever.

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Gas Versus Diesel

Cost
Due to the high compression ratios and resulting
high cylinder pressure in diesel engines, they
must be built to withstand a lot more punishment
than gas engines. The parts that are spruced up
include a thicker block and cylinder heads,
pistons, crankshaft, and valves, which can be
very costly indeed.

When it comes to the price, gas wins this one by
far. Diesel costs a lot more to own than gas,
which is one of the main reasons why people tend
to choose gas over diesel.

Fuel cost
Diesel fuel is easier to refine, taking less
time to get from raw petroleum to final product
from gas, giving it a lower price than that of
gas. On the other hand, within the United States,
diesel is priced the same or just a bit below
regular unleaded gas.

Noise and vibration
Despite many improvements in noise isolation and
engine noise technology in trucks over the last 10
years, diesels are still much louder and shake
more than gasoline powered vehicles. At idle, the
clatter and shake of diesel vehicles are clearly
noticeable, while it can be hard to tell if the
gas engine is even running.

Cold weather
If you’ve tried to start a diesel engine on a
cold day, you know that gas is by far easier to
start. Diesels don’t have spark plugs like gas engines
do, as the fuel is ignited once it’s injected into
the cylinder that is already under pressure.
When it gets cold, the air isn’t hot enough to
ignite the diesel fuel.

Maintenance
Maintenance on a diesel vehicle is more expensive,
thanks to many things including the larger volume
of oil in the engine and the fact that fuel filters
and water separators must be serviced more often
than gas vehicles. Gasoline engines have a bigger
advantage due to extended service periods on spark
plugs, engine oil, and even antifreeze.

Making that final choice between gas and diesel comes
down to what you’ll do with your vehicle and where
you live. If you use your vehicle for quick, fast
acceleration and rarely ever haul heavy loads, and
don’t plan to keep your vehicle past 100,000 miles,
you may want to consider buying a gasoline vehicle.

Gas runs smoother, fuel is easier to find, and
they are easier to start in cold weather. On the
other hand, if you plan to tow, value good fuel
economy and plan on racking up a lot of miles, then
you’ll want to buy a diesel.

Price is also an important consideration, as diesel
vehicles can be a bit more expensive than gas. If
you aren’t worried about price, then diesel may be
your best bet. For trucks, diesel is by far the
superior choice for those who like to haul heavy
loads on a frequent basis.

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How Diesel Engines Work

When gas is compressed, the temperature of it will rise,
with diesel engines using this very property to ignite
the fuel. Air is then drawn into the cylinder and
compressed by the rising piston at a much high
compression ratio than gas engines, up to 25:1, with
the air temperature reaching 700 – 900 degrees C.

At the top of the piston stroke, the diesel fuel is
injected into the combustion chamber at high pressure,
then through an atomizing nozzle, it mixes with the
hot high pressured air. The resulting mixture will
ignite and burn very rapidly. This combustion will
cause the gas in the chamber to heat up rapidly,
which increases the pressure and forces the piston
downwards.

The connecting rod will transmit this motion to the
crankshaft. The scavenging of the engine is either
done by ports or valves. To get the most out of
a diesel engine, use of a turbocharger to compress
the intake of air is vital. You can also use an
aftercooler or intercooler to cool the intake air
after compression by the turbocharger to further
increase your efficiency.

An important part of older diesel engines was the
govenor, which limited the speed of the engine by
controlling the rate of fuel that was delivered.
Unlike gas engines, the air that comes in is not
throttled, so the engine would overspeed if this
wasn’t done. Older style injection systems were
driven by a gear system that came from the engine.

The diesel engine is truly an advancement to vehicles
as we know it. As technology gets better, you
can expect the diesel engine to get better as well,
possibly even proving just how much better it is
to the gasoline engine.

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Diesel Or Not

Diesel is often looked at as being smelly, noisy, and
many think the only place for it is in a tractor. The
truth to diesel vehicles is that they are slow, noisy,
smelly, although they are cheaper to run than gas.

Diesel engines aren’t as powerful as gas engines, as
gas engines produce more horsepower than that of a
diesel engine. Diesel vehicles however, offer more
torque than gas. Therefore, it is a very thin line as
to which one is better.

When it comes to power, diesel is the more expensive
of the two. Diesel powered vehicles are normally more
expensive to buy than gas, and the parts are a lot
more expensive than gas vehicles. The diesel however,
is more reliable due to it being less complicated
internally and heavier to build, therefore it normally
lasts longer than gas engines.

Economy is always a factor as well, as will fuel
prices being what they are. Now days, it costs a
small fortune to fill up a gasoline vehicle, especially
the bigger engines. When it comes to fuel, diesel
is generally less expensive. You can fill up a diesel
vehicle for less of a price, and the fuel will
normally go longer than gas will.

Appearance is also important. Diesel is generally
loud, with the exhaust emitting black smoke when the
vehicle is throttled. You can normally tell when a
diesel pulls off by the black smoke it leaves behind.
Keep in mind, this isn’t a problem with the engine,
just means that the fuel is dirtier.

Tuning is also important. Gas engines are more
tunable than diesel, as you can get better power
increases from gas than you can with diesel. The
major thing diesel owners tend to go for is turbo,
as it is one sure way to match gasoline in terms
of power.

A turbo charged diesel can and will match a standard
gasoline engine for power, if not slightly better it
a bit. This is why most diesel cars come turbo
charged, as its a way to keep up with the modern
diesel engines of today.

When it comes to making the choice, you really have
to choose what is best for you and your needs. If
you want power with plenty of tuning options, then
gasoline engines are what you want. On the other
hand, if you want power and torque, then a diesel
vehicle is what you want.

The choices are entirely up to you, as there are
certainly plenty to choose from. Always check out
the vehicle you are interested in, and find out
if it will match your needs. Before you know it,
you’ll have a diesel or gas vehicle that will perform
well beyond your expectations.

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Gas VS Diesel Boats

As you may know, diesel engines aren’t something
you should take lightly. There are good reasons
why the rush to put them in cars back in the 70s
flopped. Diesel isn’t the ideal power source for
all applications.

Engine speed
Diesel engines gained the reputation for long
service life early on in the history of the
engines, mainly from engines that were used in
commercial operations. These were big, very
slow to turn engines that were usually in the
600 – 1,000 RPM range.

The long service life of the diesel engine isn’t
really a myth when used in the proper application.
It’s only a myth in pleasure craft, where the
engines are operated in-frequently at high and
low speeds, normally under very heavy loads and
adverse conditions.

Fuel consumption
If you plan to engage on some serious long range
travel, especially if fuel stops aren’t available,
then fuel consumption will become an issue.
Diesel engines will normally burn 1/3 to 1/2 the
amount of fuel as their gas equals. Considering
the cost of the engines versus the amount of
fuel you’ll burn during the time you own the
boat, fuel savings isn’t really important.

Dilemma
Most questions of choice arise for boats that
are in the 28 to 34 foot range where either type
of engine is available with adequate horsepower.
Gas engines do have the advantage that they are
cheap to buy and also cheap to repair.

Diesel boats are just the opposite, as for the
price of one you could buy three gas engines.
For the price of a smaller in-line 6 cylinder
diesel, you can buy two gas engines.

Therefore, cost wise, unless you really need
diesel power, diesels aren’t very practical.
The advantage to diesel comes only at the
point where the extra torque is needed because
a gasoline engine would simply be under too
much strain to have an adequate amount of
service life.

If you have a choice of gas versus diesel,
your first concern should be to determine
whether or not you can really afford to own a
diesel, as the initial price is only part of
the cost.

If you simply can’t afford to write a big check
for routine maintenance, then you will probably
be better off going with gas. On the other hand,
if you have a lot of money, diesel would be
your best bet. Diesel engines are great to
have, although they cost a lot of money to
up keep and they generally aren’t the way to go
for those on a budget.

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Gasoline Credit Cards

With gasoline getting more and more expensive, you’ve
probably found yourself wondering what you can do.
Even with the rising costs of gas and fuel, you
still need it to go places. No matter how you look
at it, you are at the mercy of these prices.

If you own two credit cards, changes are that you
will use one of them to pay for your gas. Gas credit
cards are now starting to shine. There are many
individuals who are planning to apply for a gas
card. Most cards are either issued by a leading
credit card company or by a major retailing gas
station.

Along with that, there are some of the gas credit
cards that give you a great deal like having
discounts on gases such as unleaded, premium, and
others. Gas credit cards also give you an
assurance to have more approved gas bonus.

If the credit card is approved, the owner of the
card will not only save money on gas, but he’ll
also get an extra allowance for car equipment and
accessories. Gas cards can also help you save
a bundle on repairs as well.

Keep in mind that there are some things to consider
when you apply for a gas card. When you plan to
apply for a card, the conditions should always be
known. The benefits of the gas credit cards
available should also be studied and researched
in order to compare rates, features, and
benefits.

As the popularity of gas credit cards continue to
increase, so will the offers. Gas cards also
offer a positive effect for gasoline retailers as
well. The customer will also earn additional
incentives as well. If you plan to stick with
one brand of gas, this card can generate some of
the best rewards.

When looking for the best type of gasoline credit
card, the most important thing to do is review
the terms and conditions. The present status
of the card should also be reviewed in order to
avoid a bad credit record.

There are also several gas credit cards that will
give you extra rewards and point systems. What
this means, is that the card holder can earn
cash back on certain purchases. The more points
you get, the bigger product you can receive.

The ideal purpose of applying for gas credit cards
is to help eliminate the gas expenses. The
credit card should help you to have a deal with
gas expenses. Low interest premium cards can be
the best if you can maintain the proper balance.

The best thing about gasoline credit cards is the
fact that you don’t have to pay for them now and
you can just pay later. Just don’t forget to pay
the bill, as you could end up getting a bad credit
rating.

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Diesel Passenger Vehicles

Both diesel cars and light trucks are receiving a
lot of attention in the United States as a near
term strategy to achieve fuel economy and climate
change goals.

The renewed interest in diesel as of late stems
from its potential to improve passenger vehicle
fuel economy. The best diesel passenger vehicles
of today are more efficient on fuel than their
gas counterparts, helping to reduce carbon
emissions by 30 percent or more.

There are some auto makers that are talking about
re-introducing diesel into light duty markets as
a solution for reducing global warming pollution
from both cars and trucks. Another important
reason is that the higher efficiency of diesels
will provide a quick fix for manufacturers who
are struggling to meet federal fuel economy
standards for light trucks.

Even if the efficiency benefits of diesel do
yield real world improvements on the economy, the
potential climate change benefits are modest.

Even though diesel achieves more miles per gallon
than gasoline, many are concerned about the
impact that diesel passenger vehicles have on
the economy. From time to time, the combustion
in the engine can cause black emissions to spit
from the exhaust, which is actually very bad
for the economy.

While gas is actually the worst, diesel is taking
strides to improve engines and the impact on
the economy. Diesel is getting more and more
popular these days, as gas prices continue to
rise and rise.

Although diesel engines can have an impact on
the economy, they are the way to go for those
looking to conserve mileage. Diesel vehicles
cost more than gas vehicles, although they will
offer you more than you can expect. If you are
looking for a quality ride, diesel is the way
to go.

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Diesel Engines And Well Known Gas

In passenger cars, the diesel engine has never really
caught on. During the middle to late 70s, diesel
engines in passenger cars did notice a surge in
sales due to the OPEC oil embargo, although that is
the only real significant penetration that diesel
engines have made in the market.

Although diesel engines are more efficient, there
are eight historical problems that may have held
them back.
1. Due to the higher compression ratios,
diesel engines tend be heavier than the equivalent
gasoline engine.
2. Diesel vehicles and diesel engines tend to
be more expensive than gas.
3. Because of their weight and compression
ratio, diesel engines tend to have lower RPM ranges
than gas engines. This gives diesel engines more
torque rather than higher horsepower, and this tends
to make diesel vehicles slower in terms of acceleration.
4. Diesel engines have to be fuel injected,
and in the past fuel injection was very expensive
and less reliable.
5. Diesel engines tend to produce more
smoke and smell very funny when compared to gasoline
engines.
6. They are harder to start in cold weather
and if they contain glow plugs, the diesel engines
may require you to wait before you start the
engine so that the glow plugs can heat up.
7. Diesel engines are much noisier than
gas engines and tend to vibrate quite a bit.
8. Diesel fuel is less available than gas.

Although one or two of these disadvantages would be
acceptable, a group of them is a big turn away for
many people.

Even though the list above are reasons in the past
as to why diesel never really took off, you can
expect these reasons to get corrected and improved
in the future, meaning that you will see more and
more diesel vehicles on the road.

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Advantages Of Diesel Engines

If you’ve owned a diesel powered vehicle in the
past or if you own one now, you no doubt appreciate
the qualities this engine provides you with. More
torque, better fuel economy, and easier maintenance
are but a few of the attributes of owning diesel
powered vehicles.

However, there are some motorists that still
complain about the engine’s weak power, especially
when accelerating from a full stop. What you
may not be aware of is the fact that a diesel
engine can be tweaked to give more power without
harming the fuel economy.

Diesel engines use air compression to create
combustion versus the fuel/air mixture that is
required by gas engines. This attribute means
that diesel engines don’t require spark plugs
and therefore don’t need to be tuned up.

Diesel fuel has a much high fuel density than
gas, which results in fuel economy increases
of 20 – 30% over gasoline powered vehicles.

Diesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as
they have less parts than that of a gasoline
powered engine. The life span of a diesel
engine is also much longer.

If you’re looking for torque, for pulling a
boat or other equipment, then the diesel
engine has the supreme advantage. Diesel
engines are surely slower, especially when
starting from a dead stop, although when you
climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel
engine is surely up to the task.

With trucks, diesel is normally the leader
over gas engines in terms of performance and
miles per gallon. Diesel trucks will get
more miles than gas trucks, and the price for
diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days.
And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will
continue to dominate for a long time to come.

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